Wednesday, November 11, 2009

The Happiness State

What makes you happy? Can your level of happiness depend on your home state? Could moving to another state be good for your soul? Three-hundred and fifty thousand residents of all 50 states were asked the same set of questions to determine their level of happiness.

Don’t expect me to list the happiest states or the least. Not for the world would I step into that argument. Probably, most of us love our home state, and we wouldn’t care where some innocuous study placed it. Besides, many of our friends live in other countries, and I wouldn’t want to leave them out.

However, I can use generalizations and discuss the five types of Well-Being the study used.

1. Overall evaluation of your life.

2. Emotional Health

3. Physical health

4. Healthy behaviors or life-styles

5. Job satisfaction.

You could rate yourself using these five elements. On a scale of one to five, how would you rate yourself—living in the “state” or state you do.

For me, my overall evaluation of my life would be a five. Emotional health, oh, 4.5. (I do worry and fume and fuss over things I cannot control.) Physical health, probably a 4, simply because I’m not 21 anymore and do have a few tiny health issues I can easily control. Healthy behaviors or life-styles, definitely a five. I don’t smoke and never have, I’m not an addictive personality to anything, I eat healthy so that my lab tests always get a happy face (really, my doctor draws a happy face on my lab sheets), and I get moderate exercise. Job satisfaction? I’m retired and happily so. But when I did work, I’d give myself another five. In total, I am a rather happy person.

Right now, I’m reading a novel by Emilie Richards titled “Happiness Key.” I love her books, and this one is about four women living in concrete block ramshackle cabins on a spit of land in Florida called Happiness Key. One owns the cabins, and has fallen from a wealthy life when her husband went to prison; one is a foreigner who finds herself married to a man she doesn’t know; one is a middle-aged woman who yearns for her husband who pays her no mind, so she finds one who will; and one is an older woman who has become forgetful and sad. They come together to solve a problem.

The best point about this novel is the character-building Emilie Richards so capably weaves. I want to keep reading, not to find out how the problem is solved, but to learn how each of these women find happiness.

How do you find your happiness? Surely, it’s not because you live in Vermont, or California, or Utah. Each of us is different, yet all the same. Women in a world of men, finding our own way.

Keep writing. Much of my happiness comes from writing and creating, and I’ll bet it’s the same for you.

14 comments:

Celia! I very much think where you live affects you. For instance, while growing up, I knew that I wasn't where I was meant to be. Odd feeling and I'd love to hear from others who felt the same. After living in so many places, I know I was deeply affected by each, for better or worse.

My family is still there and I love to visit, but where I am now is where my soul feels at ease. And I'm happier and healthier because of it.

LORAINE--I do believe that, too. Some people can't wait to leave the place where they grew up to find their own niche, and others wouldn't dream of living someplace else. I'm so Texas-centered, I wouldn't live anyplace else. But I did live in New Mexico and Oklahoma a few years while my dh was pursing work and degrees. He wanted to try another state, and I pleaded--"Please, just take me back to Texas!" I won.Celia

After living in four different states, I know my happiness doesn't come from where I live. It comes for being satisfied that I did everything I could for my family, job and friends. It comes from seeing those I love healthy and happy.

I learned from an old friend never to consider anything permanent. If things are hunky-dory, I enjoy them but plan for a lesser future. If the moment is depressing, I keep hope that things will improve soon.

I do find that where I live affects my well being. Sometimes the heat and oppressive humidity that never lets up gets to me. I don't like living in Florida, I miss the four seasons. I know Vermont would kill me in the winter, but I always feel happy when I am in NC. the people are nicer. It's so strange how people can be so friendly some places and unfriendly in others.Great post Celia!

MARY--Interesting and honest answer. Oppressive heat and humidity upset me, too. We do have some of that during the summer here, but not as bad at all as in Houston. I once answered a question on a blog--"If you could live anywhere in the world, besides your home, where would it be?" Well, I have no desire to live in a foreign country. My answer was North Carolina! Celia

MAGGIE--Miss Sunshine. Yes, I can see that to you "happiness is a state of minE." And it is, of course. I can't remember where you lived before you moved back to Georgia, but I know GA is home to you. Thanks for responding. Celia

STEPH--Ditto on all your states. Except the weight. If I lost 30 pounds, you couldn't find me. That's one thing that I'm always happy about--it stays the same no matter what I do. It does shift, though!Have a great day--Celia

Hi Celia, I'm late getting here. I forget to visit your blog unless you remind me, and only found this one when I came to read your announcement re Texas Writers. So please send reminders every time you post a new one and I always enjoy them. It doesn't matter very much where I am physically as I live in my head more than anyplace else. However, I do like warm climates, and beautiful scenery appeals to me (such as Califormia or Florida coasts) And clutter hinders my thought processes so I tend to de-clutter my surroundings.Thanks for making me consider a good question.Linda